CS 4390
Computer Graphics

Introduction to computer graphics; hardware, algorithms, and software organization for computer graphics; two-dimensional and three-dimensional transformations; fundamentals of vector and raster graphics; programming projects implementing a subset of the above.

In this section, there will be links to the notes that will be used in class. These files will be Adobe Acrobat files, which you should be able to view and print from a web browser that has the Acrobat plugin.

Foley, van Dam, Feiner, and Hughes Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice (2nd edition in C) or
Foley, van Dam, Feiner, Hughes, and Phillips Introduction to Computer Graphics
Course notes will be available online, at least a day before each class. These will follow the lectures given in class.

If you are planning to take any other graphics course or are interested in Computer Graphics, you should buy the first book. If this is the only graphics course you will take, the second book is satisfactory.

Grading will be based on

• Programming assignments (50%)
• Tests (2) (30%)
• Final exam (20%)

All programming assignments must execute on the Indy or O2 workstations in the SGI lab (room 130, CCB). You will write 4-5 programs for this course. All programs must be written in C. Documentation/code clarity will count as 20% of the grade for each program. The other 80% of the grade will be based on the program's ability to handle various requirements that will be specified when the assignment is given.

Compiling and executing without errors on the published test data is considered minimal competency for any program. Late programs will be penalized 25% per day late. Weekends count as two days. Programs that are more than 2 days late will not be graded.

You may discuss high-level design strategies and specifications of the assignments with other students in this class. However, your programs and homework are to represent your own work. All coding and detailed design decisions are to be made without consultation with others.

Here are some pointers to information that may be helpful in getting started:

Here are online version of the assignments that have been handed out so far:

There is no formal homework that needs to be turned in for this course. However, you are encouraged to use all of the practice problems in the course notes, as well as those linked to in the syllabus above, as review and extra practice.

A tentative syllabus for the class appears below. The practice problems are from a previous quarter and may contain some material not covered in our lectures. They are optional and for your benefit.